Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Is it just normal to quiver unconsciously whenever I see handsome guys? The adrenaline their sight gives me makes me want to lock myself at home. I overreact and worse, I often find myself flirting with them, like a lioness making her prey fall into her pit.

I like beautiful things, in general. The ones that everyone wants. Maybe that explains everything.

"Seriously? You dated for only four days!" Kelly hissed as she looked at me in disbelief.

"What can I do? I..." I trailed off, thinking about the days Toni and I have shared, before I continued, "I just lost interest."

The three shook their heads and gave me disapproving looks. What? Why does short-time dating always a big deal? They are reacting as if it's the worst thing I have done.

"You just really love the chase, Aurora. You make guys fall for you and when they did, you leave them hanging," Brenda said, making me divert my eyes to her.

Now, that's offensive. It's not like I forced them to like me. They just did and that's not my problem anymore.

"It's not like tha--" I was cut off by a loud slam from our classroom's door. Like I expected, it was Fionna again. I rolled my eyes as she walked towards me. That annoying girl is about to annoy me again.

"There you are. Do you really just want me to do our papers alone?"

Wow! Look who's talking. She made it looks like I didn't help at all. My forehead creased as I watched her catch her breath.

I tried to maintain a calm face, determined of not ruining my mood. Everything can be resolved with good talk, they say. I just don't know if this girl ever heard of that.

"It's your part, that's why you're doing it alone. I also have done my part, so..."

"And then, what? You run around finding guys while I'm burying my face in all these works?" she complained, not letting me finish what I'm saying.

Now, I'm pissed.

"Okay, then I'll just do it all alone and  have you removed on the list. It's that simple. So?" I raised my eyebrow as a smirk crept on my face.

The bell suddenly rang, giving me the energy to shoot out of the room. I did not even try to glance at Fionna. It's time she realizes the value of teamwork and contribution.

I felt my friends walking behind me, as I marched out of the building. We just reached the wide field, but we were already chasing our breath. Why does universities built to be this huge when at the end of the day we'll all just go home?

"Where are you going, Aurora?" Rita finally asked in the middle of our walk.

"I don't know. Maybe, Marty's?" I suggested.

"Yes!" Kelly hyped up when she heard the convenience store we'll be going to. We always go there whenever she feels like she wants to catch a sight of her crush.

We rode a taxi to the store. When my feet hit the floor of our favorite store, I rushed out to the food section. I'm too hungry to even care looking around.  After getting my sandwich and milkshake priced, I immediately took the vacant seat in front of Brenda and beside Kelly. I was eating when I noticed Kell's giggles. It turned out his seat gave her a full access to the store manager's son.

"He's so handsome," Kelly blurted out as she glued her eyes to the guy organizing some chips.

I scoffed at her words followed by her scary glare. I rose my two hands as a sign of defeat. She just rolled her eyes and continued staring at the guy.

"Why don't you just ask him to go on a date with you?" I suggested, making them coughed in unison. They stared at me as if I'm spewing some jokes.

"What?" I asked, confused. That's the best way, considering the fact that the guy is a snob.

"Not everyone is like you, Aurora," Brenda answered. Is it just me or is her tone really mean?

Why do I feel like it pierce something in my chest?

"Yeah. Not everyone has the same confidence as you." Rita chuckled and even shook her head.

I took a bite from my sandwich and just stayed silent. I know they're just being honest, but it partly hurts. It's silly of me to think they mean it the other way, right?

"Heron is really handsome. I hope you don't flirt with him and sacrifice our friendship for your desire over handsome guys," Brenda warned and even raised her brow on me.

As if the last words weren't enough to silence me, they added more. I only nodded and continued eating. I won't ever do that to her. She can have him all she wants. Besides, I don't find him handsome and even if I do, I won't betray my friends. It made me sad that they don't trust me.

We just ate and sat there until it's time for them to leave. I was left alone since I only live nearby. I watched the busy street filled with busy people. They were all passing by each other, not even minding what other people are doing. Well, that's how life works. We walk pass everyone, we think, that couldn't contribute anything to our lives until they do.

I was about to stand and just go home when an image blocked my view. And just like that, I was frozen for a moment as I watched a man slowly walking pass me. I know I have this specific addiction to handsome guys, but this one's different. The wind seems to find its favorite place in front of him, making strands of his hair danced in accord to the blows, exposing his insanely handsome face. My eyes unconsciously followed him walking inside the store. If only it has its own freedom, my eyes would have had its way out to go near the man.

I shook away all my thoughts and decided to woman up. I don't believe that man should always be the one to make the first move. If you like someone, then it's your responsibility to do something with your own feelings. Not contented of the fleeting moment of witnising such a God's masterpiece, I entered the store and pretended to go through the chocolates and biscuits where I could get a perfect sight of him. All about him is admirable. How he swiftly put cans of beer on the counter and how he slides his hand on his pocket, makes me want to stare at him dreamily. Oh, I'm getting crazy.

I gathered all my courage and decided to walk towards the man, carrying two chocolate bars I just got from the shelf. I looked at the chocolates and my eyes widened when I realized I got the expensive ones.

"Just this once," I reminded myself.

I was only few steps away from the man when a group of high school girls suddenly flocked in front of me, taking away my access to the man's back. I jumped up and down to catch a sight of him. Why does high school girls these days seemed to be so tall? I tiptoed and saw him walking out the door. It was my chance to follow him, but the girls in my front earlier went away, leaving me next in line.

I sighed and scanned the people outside the store. I can't see any traced of him.

"Aren't you going to put that here?"

I almost jumped in shock when the guy in front of me suddenly spoke. It's that dull guy Kelly likes. I almost forgot I was in line. I stared at the chocolates and just bitterly placed it on the counter. I payed expensive chocolates for nothing. After doing all the scanning thing, he handed me the bag of chocolates I just bought.

"Thank you," I said.

"Move." Instead of answering me, he just motioned me to get out of the place. What's wrong with this guy?

I marched out of the store and even scanned my eyes around, but the man's still nowhere. After minutes o waiting, I decided to just go home, carrying all the expensive chocolates and regrets  of not being able to know even the man's name. I think he is on his late 20's basing it on his built. When can I see him again? Where could he possibly work? By the looks of him, he might be working in a company. If my biased eyes don't deceive me, I think he looks like a CEO of a company. But he looks more like my future. I squealed in delight with my thoughts, making me look like a crazy woman on the street. I don't care. I'll have to see him again. I don't know how, but I will.

*****

I got a good sleep with the thoughts of that handsome man. It even made me smiling the whole day, even when I almost failed the quiz we had earlier. I couldn't even think straight. I did not even wait for my friends and just quickly went to the store, hoping the man will appear again.

"Don't you really know that man, Mr. Harry?" I desperately asked the store's manager.

"How would I, Aurora? You even described him weirdly," the old man said. I chuckled at his words.

"It's true that his face can beat the sun from shining brightly in my eyes. He also has eyes of sunset that gets too deep when you stare at it," I reiterated.

"There you go again. How would I know whose eyes are sunset?" I don't know if it's just my imagination, but I clearly heard sarcasm in his voice. I pouted and gave him a begging eyes.

"Fine." He surrendered. "I'll ask for names if I see handsome guys here."

I screamed in glee as he said those. I did not even notice his son behind me. He probably saw me jumping like crazy here. I fixed myself and stood straight.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Harry. I'll really buy 10 chocolates from that rack when you find him for me," I promised, pointing at the expensive chocolates I bought yesterday.

The old man just shook his head while laughing at me. I just smiled at him and thought of the day I'll meet that man again. My mind was only interrupted when my phone beeped with a message from Fionna.

Fionna:

You might want to help me with these d*mn papers?

I felt a little annoyed with the text, but I did not let it ruined my mood. I slid it in my bag and just decided to ignore it all day. I turned my eyes to the guy whose arms are crossed while staring at me in such an empty look. I only rolled my eyes and flipped my hair as I walked out of the store.

Everyday, I found myself playing around the store and making it my second school. Whenever I'm done with my class, I always rush through the store for updates. I was also expecting he's going to suddenly show up, but the man still hasn't showed up and Mr. Harry hasn't found someone with a sunset eyes.

"Only our costumers get to sit on our chairs here," the manager's son interrupted, whom they called Heron.

"I'm a costumer here!"

"Not when you're already done eating," he reasoned out, making me even more furious. I was already in bad mood because the man still isn't showing up. It's already three weeks. Now, this guy is making me even madder.

"Fine." I stood up and went inside the store to get another chips. I glared at him when he stared at the chips on my arms. "Am I a costumer now?"

He did not answer and just ignored me to clean other tables. I waited for days and weeks, but no traces of the man had ever appeared at the store. Is it that hard to find a person?

Looking like a zombie for not having a good sleep for days, I went to class and ignored other students' murmurs and whispers. I look like I just got in a world war. I did not even make an effort on my hair and outfit. I only wore a denim mom jeans partnered with white shirt and white sneakers. My energy got drained with the weeks of effort I exerted for that man I don't even know who.

"Where have you been these days, girl?" Rita asked when I sat beside them.

"I told you I'm waiting for that handsome man to show up." I let out a heavy sigh when I remembered that man didn't even showed his shadow at the store. I told them about it before, but they were all suspicious.

"Is it really the handsome man or the other handsome guy in that store?" Brenda asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I saw how she raised her brow as if testing me with her question. I turned to Kelly and she's just watching, waiting for my answer.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. Why does she always want to insist that I like the manager's son?

"Who knows, maybe it's the manager's son? He's also handsome," she said like it didn't even hurt me a bit.

I gulped and tried not to shed a tear. That's just how she talks. She didn't mean any of it. I smiled at them and shook my head.

"I would never do that to Kelly," I assured them. Kelly sighed with my answer while the two just shrugged.

I also sighed and leaned my back against my chair, feeling sleepy. I haven't had a good sleep for a very petty reason, that man. I don't know. I just feel like I needed to see him to feel myself in content. I think I won't ever stop if I don't meet him again.

The door of our room suddenly slammed and let out the image of that annoying girl, Fionna. She really has a habit of slamming doors. She's walking lazily towards me and she reached my table, he placed a folder of thick papers.

"I've done my part alone." She's chewing a gum as she said those, intentionally giving emphasis to the word "alone". I did not answer, making her to just proceed on her seat.

I don't have much energy to argue and deal with her. It's not like I really hasn't done anything.

All our eyes flew to the door when it creaked open. It's Mr. Sarmiento again. We were expecting that old man to show up, but someone else did. A man dressed in a white long-sleeved polo, rolled up to his elbow, and a gray slacks, entered the room making all the students stared in awe. His hair is neatly brushed making him look even more handsome. His aura is like a beautiful light in the darkness that would make everyone blind but still want to continue staring at.

My jaw dropped when my mind finally grasped the fact that the man standing in front of us is the very reason of busy days and sleepless nights. I felt a strange thing in my chest, perhaps it's happiness knocking. Finally, I saw him again.

"Good morning," he greeted. His voice gave a new effect to me. It seems to travel deep down in my senses, making me want to forget everything and just listen more to him. I heard his voice for the first time!

"I'm Keifer Sarmiento and I will be your temporary instructor in Mythology And Folklore, replacing Mr. Sarmiento. I hope we show each equal respect," he said in such a formal tone.

I don't plan to only show you an equal respect, sir. I'll also show you how happiness looks like. I giggled at my thoughts. He'll be our temporary instructor! The thought of seeing him every morning gives excitement to my system. Now, I have reason to look good.

The opportunity I've asked for weeks didn't just come knocking, it entered my life all by itself. Who am I to refuse?